Say it isn’t so, NPR
The attack on NPR during the present budget scare has been symbolic, but for more reasons than one. It’s been observed that the attack is symbolic because the proposed cuts … Read more Say it isn’t so, NPR
John Miedema’s Slow Reading, in Portuguese
John Miedema’s book, Slow Reading, has been translated into Portuguese by Editora Octavo. Isildo de Paula Souza at Octavo worked with us to enable this to happen, and we are … Read more John Miedema’s Slow Reading, in Portuguese
Philippe Breton
Philippe Breton: a brief introduction …by David Bade, the translator of Breton’s book Le culte de l’Internet: Une menace pour le lien social?, which Litwin Books has published under the … Read more Philippe Breton
And our privacy quietly erodes as state power grows
Here is a scary if unsurprising bit of news: a report in PC world on a recent study by Christopher Soghoian: “US Police Increasingly Peeping at E-mail, Instant Messages.” Soghoian’s … Read more And our privacy quietly erodes as state power grows
Study finds college students not engaged in their research projects
Librarians doing bibliographic instruction in college settings will most likely find little in this study out of the citation project that they didn’t already know from first-hand experience, but it … Read more Study finds college students not engaged in their research projects
Very good article on the Israeli newspaper, Ha’aretz
There is an very good article by David Remnick in the February 28th issue of the New Yorker about Ha’aretz, the Israeli newspaper that has set the standard for accuracy … Read more Very good article on the Israeli newspaper, Ha’aretz
Hubert Dreyfus on expert systems
Here is one of my favorite philosophers on one of my favorite problems: From Socrates to Expert Systems: The Limits and Dangers of Calculative Rationality (Hubert Dreyfus). This relates to … Read more Hubert Dreyfus on expert systems
New book: The Culture of the Internet and the Internet as Cult: Social Fears and Religious Fantasies
The Culture of the Internet and the Internet as Cult: Social Fears and Religious Fantasies Author: Philippe Breton Translator: David Bade Price: $22.00 Published: March 2011 ISBN: 978-1-936117-41-3 Printed on … Read more New book: The Culture of the Internet and the Internet as Cult: Social Fears and Religious Fantasies
Professors’ email may be public
No comment about this or predictions about where the case may be headed or whether there will be broader implications for privacy down the road, except to say to anyone … Read more Professors’ email may be public
Some links for you…
I haven’t been posting much, but I do have some links to share: By Steve Coll, in the New York Review of Books: The Internet: For Better or for Worse, … Read more Some links for you…
Smart commentary on Judge Chin’s decision
I am not personally diving into the discussion of Judge Chin’s decision on the Google Settlement, because I am too war-weary of fighting it out with other librarians on issues … Read more Smart commentary on Judge Chin’s decision
A whole other basket of FOIA exceptions – statutes
Susan Maret sent an interesting link to the PLG listserv to an article about statutes that create new exemptions to FOIA. If you’re interested in access to government information, this … Read more A whole other basket of FOIA exceptions – statutes
Nadia Plesner free speech case
Librarians interested in intellectual freedom should take note of a case of censorship by copyright lawsuit. Danish artist Nadia Plesner has used an image of a Louis Vuitton handbag in … Read more Nadia Plesner free speech case
New book from Richard J. Cox: Archival Anxiety and the Vocational Calling
Title: Archival Anxiety and the Vocational Calling Author: Richard J. Cox Price: $35.00 ISBN: 978-1-936117-49-9 6″ by 9″ 372 Pages Published: March 2011 Richard J. Cox’s fifteenth book on archival … Read more New book from Richard J. Cox: Archival Anxiety and the Vocational Calling
Miriam Braverman Memorial Prize – Call for Submissions (student paper contest)
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS Are you an LIS student interested in activism and the struggle for social justice? Do you stay awake at night thinking about how your politics might inform … Read more Miriam Braverman Memorial Prize – Call for Submissions (student paper contest)
Some objections to our use of library statistics
The use of certain library statistics, mainly related to circulation and its electronic semi-equivalents, has taken on a high degree of importance in library management since 1979, when Charlie Robinson … Read more Some objections to our use of library statistics
Selection from Philippe Breton, relating to Wikileaks
Litwin Books will soon be publishing an English translation of Philippe Breton’s 2000 book, Le culte de l’Internet: Une menace pour le lien social?, under the English title: The Culture … Read more Selection from Philippe Breton, relating to Wikileaks
Good summary of librarians’ discussion of Wikileaks to date
I recommend a post by James Jacobs on the freegovinfo.info site and the comments following it for a good summary of the debate over Wikileaks within the library community.
Adam Gopnik on books about the internet age
Adam Gopnik, frequent contributor to the New Yorker, has an article in the new issue called, “The Information: How the Internet Gets Inside Us.” It’s actually a really good bibliographic … Read more Adam Gopnik on books about the internet age
How many control freaks does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A bit of satire in response to the question, “How many control freaks does it take to screw in a light bulb?” Any resemblance to organizations you may have heard … Read more How many control freaks does it take to screw in a light bulb?